


i'm bad behaviour (but i do it in the best way)

by thewriterofperfectdisasters



Series: Fall Out Boy Fic February 2015~ [11]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Mickey is kind of ooc but i do nOT CARE, absolutely shit ending tbh, there are animals involved yAY, this is another headcanon so pffffffttttt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 04:49:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3434153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterofperfectdisasters/pseuds/thewriterofperfectdisasters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It seemed this cat was not an isolated incident, because Ian saw his neighbour bringing more cats, boxes of kittens, puppies, and scared looking dogs into his apartment. Ian didn’t really think much of it, because maybe his goal in life was to start up some sort of petting zoo in his apartment, but then it occurred to him that he never saw the animals again once they had gone into the apartment across the hall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm bad behaviour (but i do it in the best way)

**Author's Note:**

> idk what this is but it's like... "you look like a scary motherfucker and i see you taking stray animals home all the time what the fuck are you doing with them??" au.
> 
> title from 'immortals'.

Ian didn’t live in a great neighbourhood. He was out of the Southside, but barely, and his apartment building was full of people who kept to themselves and eyed him warily whenever he crossed their paths. He supposed it was because he was the newest tenant, and it seemed like no one was going to move in after him, but then the girl across the hall moved out and the apartment was snapped up, and it seemed like people started to like him. Kind of. They stopped acting like he was going to rip their lungs out through their oesophagus or something.

The new guy who moved in, though. He definitely had the potential to do that.

Ian didn’t know what his name was, or anything about him, really, except that he had tattoos on his knuckles and a permanent scowl on his face. He kind of scared Ian, truth be told.

They walked past each other in the hall, one day, a few weeks after the new guy moved in, and Ian didn’t think he had ever seen him this close up. His hair was meticulously styled, his eyes were ice blue, getting darker around the irises, and he smelled amazing. Better than amazing, probably. Ian kind of got the urge to shove his face into the guy’s neck and just inhale whatever the fuck was making him smell so good.

Ian stopped outside his apartment and watched his neighbour walk down the hall, as he fumbled blindly with his keys and tried to get the right one for his door. He figured it was pointless in lusting after a guy he knew nothing about, especially _that_ guy, because he looked like he would have a definite problem with Ian’s little crush.

Was that was this was? Was Ian crushing on his neighbour? After, what, two seconds in a hallway? Fuck, Ian needed to get a grip on himself.

Figuratively, of course.

 

* * *

 

Ian was kind of broken out of the daze caused by his weird crush on his neighbour, when a couple weeks after the hall incident, he saw him carrying a shorthaired, tortoiseshell cat into the apartment building.

 _Aw, that’s cute._ Ian smiled as his neighbour went inside a few steps ahead of Ian himself. _He’s adopted a cat._

Poor animal didn’t seem to be in the best of health, honestly. From what Ian could make out as he half-stalked his neighbour down the hall, the cat had patches of fur missing, scabs around its neck, and seemed skittish, if the way it was clawing weakly at the guy’s shoulder was anything to go by.

Nevertheless, Ian decided this guy must know what he was doing, and said nothing as they stood outside their respective apartments, unlocking their doors.

It seemed this cat was not an isolated incident, because Ian saw his neighbour bringing more cats, boxes of kittens, puppies, and scared looking dogs into his apartment. Ian didn’t really think much of it, because maybe his goal in life was to start up some sort of petting zoo in his apartment, but then it occurred to him that he never saw the animals again once they had gone into the apartment across the hall.

What the fuck?

Guy was a scary looking fucker, what with the knuckle tattoos (Ian had since learned they read “FUCK U-UP”) and the general _hateful towards everything_ demeanour. What if he was doing something with the animals? Something decidedly… not good.

Ian, being the defender of the weak and helpless that he was, decided to find out. Granted he was less than completely sober when he did this.

Ian rolled his shoulders and set his beer bottle on the table, before he stood up and exited his apartment, leaning across the hall to knock on the door opposite.

The door opened, and the cranky, nice smelling, blue eyed dude appeared. ‘What?’ he asked.

Ian gave him a lopsided smile. ‘I’m Ian, your neighbour.’

The guy raised an eyebrow. ‘I see that.’

‘What’s your name?’

‘Mickey.’

‘Cool,’ Ian nodded. ‘Okay. Where’re your cats? And your dogs?’

Mickey frowned. ‘I don’t have any cats or dogs.’

‘But I’ve seen you taking them into your apartment!’

‘Oh,’ Mickey said. ‘Yeah, but they’re not mine.’

‘Then whose are they?’

Mickey shrugged. ‘Dunno.’

‘Why’re you taking them?’ Ian asked, leaning forwards and trying to peer into Mickey’s apartment.

‘Because.’

‘Because why?’

‘Look, I think you’re a bit too drunk to be having this conversation, gingerbread.’

Ian nodded. ‘Probably right.’

‘Ask me again tomorrow, okay?’

Ian narrowed his eyes. ‘You’re not doing anything illegal, are you?’

‘Like?’

‘I dunno… Dog fighting or something?’

Mickey’s face turned cold as he set his jaw. ‘I am definitely not involved in dog fighting.’

‘Okey dokey,’ Ian said, content with that answer. ‘I’ll come back tomorrow.’

‘You do that.’

Ian saluted Mickey, then pivoted back into his apartment. He wandered across his living room and into his bedroom, then collapsed onto the bed. Maybe Mickey was right and he had had a bit too much to drink.

Ian decided not to dwell on it, and promptly fell asleep.

 

* * *

 

Ian woke up with the taste of something akin to death in his mouth. He didn’t really remember much after his third beer, apart from going out his front door and… Shit. He vaguely recalled talking to his across the hall neighbour, but that was it.

‘Fuck,’ Ian muttered, jumping off his bed and walking quickly to the door. He opened it and knocked on the door opposite, tapping his foot impatiently.

‘The fuck?’ the guy grumbled, opening his door and yawning. ‘Oh, it’s you.’

Ian groaned. ‘Shit, so I did come here?’

‘Mhmm.’

‘Fuck. I’m sorry,’ Ian said, running his hand through his hair. ‘I didn’t say anything stupid, did I?’

‘You asked if I was part of a dog fighting ring.’

‘Oh my God, I’m so sorry. Uh… What’s your name?’

‘Mickey. You’re Ian, in case you’ve forgotten,’ Mickey raised an eyebrow. ‘Did you want to come see my mysterious operation?’

‘Oh…’ Ian bit his lip. ‘I probably smell like ass and beer…’

‘Same, man.’

Ian laughed. ‘Gimme a sec,’ he went back into his apartment and grabbed his keys off the hook beside the door. He shut his door, and went inside Mickey’s apartment, taking in the scene. ‘Well, shit.’

Mickey cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, and gestured around the living/dining/kitchen area with the other. ‘I kind of take in strays and get them back up to speed, y’know?’

‘You foster animals?’ Ian asked quietly, approaching a box of sleeping kittens. ‘Like you nurse them back to health, that kinda thing?’

Mickey nodded. ‘Yeah. I socialise feral kittens and help rehome everyone.’

‘Oh my God,’ Ian whispered. ‘Can I hold one?’

‘Of those kittens?’ Mickey shrugged. ‘Go for the really big one in the corner. He’s kind of dopey and loves everyone that touches him.’

Ian smiled and scooped up the tiny buddle of fur, stroking it between the ears. ‘Where’d they come from?’

‘Someone dumped them in a box behind the restaurant I work at,’ Mickey explained, coming closer to Ian and picking up the smallest kitten of the box. ‘They were only a couple days old.’

‘I think I saw you bringing them here, actually,’ Ian said, hearing the little cat beginning to purr. ‘How many are you looking after right now?’

‘Uh… Four puppies, a dog, these kittens, and five cats.’

‘Jesus Christ. Sounds like an expensive hobby.’

Mickey sighed and gave Ian a small smile. ‘I technically work for a shelter. They give me food and all the beds and stuff, and I give them well-mannered pets to adopt out. Everyone wins.’

‘Sorry I accused you of dog fighting,’ Ian said, kind of awkwardly. ‘This is like… the complete opposite.’

‘Yeah. I see where you would get the assumption,’ Mickey shrugged, scratching his tiny cat’s ears. ‘Don’t worry about it.’

Ian put his kitten back in the box, and cleared his throat. ‘I, ah. I should go. Sorry for barging in like this.’

‘It’s fine. Feeding time at the zoo, anyway.’

‘This early?’

‘Mhmm. The cats woke me up an hour ago because they’re a bunch of assholes who want their damn breakfast at six fucking thirty.’ Mickey sighed and yawned, stretching his arms up over his head, the motion pulling his top up slightly to expose a strip of pale flesh. ‘Then I gotta do the kittens, the puppies… Try to stop the dog from eating everyone else’s food. Fucking mayhem.’

Ian laughed and tore his eyes from the stomach of his neighbour. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’

‘A’ight,’ Mickey nodded. He watched Ian open his door and make to leave, but called out to him at the last moment. ‘Hey, you think you should buy me a drink sometime?’

Ian stopped on the threshold and turned slowly. ‘I should buy you a drink?’

 _Shit._ Maybe Mickey had read that wrong. ‘Oh… Uh. Never mind.’

‘Because I annoyed you last night?’ Ian asked.

‘Well… yeah. Just two guys, hangin’ out or some shit.’

‘Or two guys going for a date?’ Ian prodded.

Mickey sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. ‘If you want.’

Ian grinned. ‘I’d love to. When are you free?’

‘Tonight?’

‘Sure. Seven work for you?’

‘Yup.’

‘Cool,’ Ian nodded, turning back to go to his apartment.

‘Ay, gingerbread,’ Mickey said. ‘If we end up… y’know… we gotta go to your apartment.’

‘Why?’

‘Because I feel weird taking it up the ass with all the animals watchin’ me,’ Mickey said, rolling his eyes like it was the most obvious answer on the planet.

‘Ah,’ Ian laughed. ‘Deal.’

Mickey grinned. ‘Deal.’

**Author's Note:**

> so this means that i've written a fic for every song on the ab/ap album. super! so, this is the final piece, i guess. but yeah, this is going with my headcanon that mickey's an absolute softy when it comes to animals. (this is like... an au to an au i've got in progress, where mickey is also heartily involved with animals.)


End file.
